Content Area(s): Life Science Topic: Hydration and Human Health Short description: There is no scientific evidence that supports the need to drink eight glasses of water a day.
Claim: Most people do not need to drink eight glasses of water a day to be healthy.
Keywords: drinking water,hydrated Difficulty of Concept: Easy
MS-ETS1 Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy
RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Topic of Game Introduction Video: Confirmation Bias/Objectivity Description/Application of Game Introduction Video:
This brief movie is used to introduce the concept of objectivity before playing the scenario about drinking enough water in the Reason Racer game. Objectivity is generally thought to be using evidence that is free from bias. It is a component of scientific argumentation and usually involves determining if there is a personal opinion or conflict of interest that influences data collection or analysis of information. It requires students to consider the source and methodology used in support of a claim when making a decision about that claim. Before playing the game, students could discuss how to judge bias in information they are given. Link to Game Introduction Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAlYiLkUUZ4
Full Text of Article:
Do we really need to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day? The answer is no. Although many of us have been bombarded with this message for years, there does not appear to be any independent, scientific research to back up this claim. According to Richard Vreeman, MD of the University of Indiana School of Medicine, “when we examined this belief, we found that there is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water”.
Hydration is very important to the human body. Without water, we will die. The amount of water we need is different for each individual. The amount of water we need depends on our activity level, size and environment. Active people in hotter, dryer environments need to drink more water, more often than those in sedentary, cooler environments. It is also true that we get much of the water we need from the food we eat. Fruits and vegetables contain about 97% water and even a slice of bread is about 30% water. We also get water from other beverages that we drink each day including milk and juice. Even coffee and tea will hydrate us (though not as efficiently as water), according to studies by Dr. Grandjean, a hydration specialist at the University of Nebraska.
Other health benefits often associated with drinking lots of water also appear suspect. Some claim drinking lots of water will help clear toxins from the body but actually, it is the kidneys that clear the toxins from our bodies. Some doctors suggest that drinking too much water too quickly will hamper this function because processing all that water makes our kidneys work harder. People also claim that drinking lots of water helps them lose weight. While it may be beneficial to substitute water for other beverages, drinking extra water does not help with weight control.
So how much water should we drink? It turns out that the human body has evolved with an effective mechanism to answer this question: thirst. Thirst is an early warning sign of hydration letting us know it is time to take a drink. So, for otherwise healthy individuals, if we eat a balanced diet and drink when we get hot or thirsty, we should be fine.
GOOD: Drinking Water (2:53) some interesting water facts and information on problems related to tainted water supplies in poor nations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R_vpNQ0fJc
Title: Eight Glasses of Water
Content Area(s): Life ScienceTopic: Hydration and Human Health
Short description: There is no scientific evidence that supports the need to drink eight glasses of water a day.
Claim: Most people do not need to drink eight glasses of water a day to be healthy.
Keywords: drinking water,hydrated
Difficulty of Concept: Easy
Reading Level (Pit Stop 8 Article):
Flesch Reading Ease: 59.6Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 9.1
Lexile: 1060
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ETS1 Engineering DesignMS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/LiteracyRST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Vocabulary Words: temperature, environment, sedentary, toxins,
Topic of Game Introduction Video: Confirmation Bias/Objectivity
Description/Application of Game Introduction Video:
This brief movie is used to introduce the concept of objectivity before playing the scenario about drinking enough water in the Reason Racer game. Objectivity is generally thought to be using evidence that is free from bias. It is a component of scientific argumentation and usually involves determining if there is a personal opinion or conflict of interest that influences data collection or analysis of information. It requires students to consider the source and methodology used in support of a claim when making a decision about that claim. Before playing the game, students could discuss how to judge bias in information they are given.
Link to Game Introduction Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAlYiLkUUZ4
Full Text of Article:
Do we really need to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day? The answer is no. Although many of us have been bombarded with this message for years, there does not appear to be any independent, scientific research to back up this claim. According to Richard Vreeman, MD of the University of Indiana School of Medicine, “when we examined this belief, we found that there is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water”.Hydration is very important to the human body. Without water, we will die. The amount of water we need is different for each individual. The amount of water we need depends on our activity level, size and environment. Active people in hotter, dryer environments need to drink more water, more often than those in sedentary, cooler environments. It is also true that we get much of the water we need from the food we eat. Fruits and vegetables contain about 97% water and even a slice of bread is about 30% water. We also get water from other beverages that we drink each day including milk and juice. Even coffee and tea will hydrate us (though not as efficiently as water), according to studies by Dr. Grandjean, a hydration specialist at the University of Nebraska.
Other health benefits often associated with drinking lots of water also appear suspect. Some claim drinking lots of water will help clear toxins from the body but actually, it is the kidneys that clear the toxins from our bodies. Some doctors suggest that drinking too much water too quickly will hamper this function because processing all that water makes our kidneys work harder. People also claim that drinking lots of water helps them lose weight. While it may be beneficial to substitute water for other beverages, drinking extra water does not help with weight control.
So how much water should we drink? It turns out that the human body has evolved with an effective mechanism to answer this question: thirst. Thirst is an early warning sign of hydration letting us know it is time to take a drink. So, for otherwise healthy individuals, if we eat a balanced diet and drink when we get hot or thirsty, we should be fine.
References/Sources:
Additional Content:
Author: Cindy Wilbur